PM poised for Cabinet reshuffle

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has quipped that he wants to be the Prime Minister - in a tongue-in-cheek response to questions over Malcolm Turnbull's Cabinet reshuffle.

When the Agriculture Minister was asked if he would be keen for a new portfolio, he joked: "Prime Minister would be a good portfolio".

Before adding, "that's not going to happen because I'm in the National Party".

The reshuffle is expected to happen as early as this week.

It's understood the role of Attorney General will be up for grabs.

Attorney General George Brandis will move to London, to take over from Alexander Downer as High Commissioner - although Mr Joyce refused to confirm this.

"There might have been discussions around that, but i don't think anything is confirmed at this point in time," he said.

There's been no word yet on who would take over as Attorney General - but some elements of the portfolio will be absorbed by Peter Dutton's new Home Affairs superportfolio.

The role of Special Minister of State will also need to be filled, after Scott Ryan vacated it to become President of the Senate.

Former Senate President Stephen Parry stood down after learning he held a British citizenship.

There has been a bit of jostling between the Coalition partners, with the National Party keen to gain better representation in the Ministry - and see the partnet's new deputy leader, Bridget McKenzie, promoted to the Cabinet.

It will be a meteoric rise for Senator McKenzie, who has not been a member of the Executive before.

Two weeks ago, she replaced Senator Fiona Nash as the party's deputy leader, after Ms Nash was disqualified from parliament by the High Court, over citizenship issues.